Oatmeal Caramelitas

A couple weeks ago, my mother and I were perusing the chocolate aisle at one of our local supermarkets carrying when we came across something that had long eluded Tokyo stores, or at least our notice, which seems less likely considering our attention to detail when it comes to sweets, let alone those built for baking. What we found were caramel candies. Naturally, we bought two bags on the spot. You never know when you’re going to want 2 lb of caramels.

Now, I am usually in favor of trying recipes that call for a homemade caramel, but Brown Eyed Baker, one of my go-to baking sites had a couple über appealing recipes requiring pre-made candies. Reading through her formula for Oatmeal Caramelitas, I knew I had to sample them. A layer of crumbly oatmeal crust, topped with chocolate chips, pecans, and caramel sauce, then decked out with an additional layer of crust. What’s not to love?

This is a very simple recipe and Brown Eyed Baker explains it flawlessly. It calls for a fair amount of butter so I reduced it. Mistake. Don’t. My bars were decadent and delicious, but the crust could have been less dry and a little more cohesive. Follow Brown Eyed Baker’s instructions. She knows what she’s talking about.

I do have two suggestions, however.

Use high quality chocolate. It’s one of the main ingredients. If you use hershey’s, trust me, you’ll taste it.

Ice cream. Don’t get me wrong, these bars are delectable. But sweet. VERY sweet. (As you can imagine, give all of that chocolate and caramel.) A nice not-to-sugary vanilla will cut that flavor just enough, not to mention taste delicious with warm, melty bars right out of the oven.